Systems, methods and devices for coin processing and coin recycling

• US 9,875,593 B1
• Filed: 08/05/2016
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Adams, Thomas P., Gordon, Glenn S., Bochnak, Matthew J., Hallowell, Curtis W., Blake, John R., Sobelevsky, Mikhail B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beauchaine, Mark
• Application Number:
  US15/230,123
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 1/00 Coin dispensers devices delivering paper currency G07D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/20 Controlling or monitoring the operation of devices; Data handling
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/22 Means for sensing or detection
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/235 for monitoring or indicating operating conditions; for detecting malfunctions
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/06 arranged along a circular path
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/128 Rotary devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/14 Apparatus driven under control of coin-sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/16 in combination with coin-counting
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 5/00 Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of coins, e.g. for segregating coins which are unacceptable or alien to a currency
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 9/002 Coin holding devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 9/008 Feeding coins from bulk

Abstract

Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, coin sorting and recycling assemblies, and methods of making and methods of using the same are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with a coin input area for receiving coins and coin receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to input coins, and a sorting head for separating and discharging coins from exit stations. An automated coin chute receives coins from one of the exit stations. The automated coin chute includes a movable diverter plate that selectively transitions between a first position, whereby coins received from the exit station of the disk-type coin processing unit are redirected through a coin-recycling output passage to a coin-recycling receptacle, and a second position, whereby coins received from the exit station are redirected through a coin-depositing output passage to a coin-depositing receptacle.

Claims

1. A coin tote drawer comprising:

a plurality of coin tote compartments, each tote compartment configured to accommodate a coin tote therein, wherein each tote compartment has at least two inductive sensors residing therein;

wherein one of the inductive sensors in each compartment is a coin presence inductive coil and wherein one of the inductive sensors in each compartment is a tote presence inductive coil;

wherein each coin tote configured to be accommodated in each compartment has a piece of metal imbedded into or coupled to a wall of the coin tote; and

wherein the tote presence inductive coil in each compartment is configured to sense if a coin tote has been positioned in a corresponding compartment by sensing the presence of the metal imbedded into or coupled to a corresponding coin tote.

2. The coin tote drawer of claim 1 wherein each tote compartment comprises an electrostatic discharge (ESD) bleedoff post therein.